A few days back a certain critique rang across the sports world, especially in India where international athlete Dejana Radanovic laid bare India’s shameful neglect of its athletes’ basic needs. With a no-holds-barred assessment of the country’s food, hygiene, hotel accommodations, and traffic management, Dejana Radanovic has spotlighted a glaring issue that demands immediate attention.
Dejana faced several issues with her accommodation, travel, food, hygiene water and a lot more. It’s difficult to say what an athlete from a Non-Cricketing background must have gone through. Dejana posted a series of photos and dislikes on Instagram. While an International athlete has called for a wake-up, what about our athletes?
India has wallowed in the glory of its athletes’ achievements on the international stage while neglecting the very foundation upon which these victories are built. While athletes train rigorously to represent their country with pride, they often encounter substandard conditions that undermine their performance and tarnish their experience. The criticism levied by Dejana Radanovic is not an isolated incident, it is a loud alarm sounding to shake the nation out of its complacency. It is also a shout, a roar that India’s athletes deserve better – not just when they’re competing abroad, but right here on home soil.
Let’s address the food and hygiene standards. Athletes, the nation’s pride, are subjected to questionable meals and inadequate sanitation facilities. How can we expect them to excel when their basic nutritional needs are not met, and their health is compromised due to unsanitary conditions? It’s a disgrace that in a country with such rich culinary traditions and a burgeoning economy, athletes are forced to contend with subpar sustenance. Then there’s the matter of accommodations. While athletes from other nations enjoy comfortable stays (in this case Dejana Radanovic didn’t) in well-appointed hotels, our athletes often find themselves in less-than-ideal conditions, with facilities that fall short of even the most basic standards of comfort and cleanliness. Is this how we welcome our ambassadors of sport? And let’s not forget the chaos of Indian traffic. While athletes strive to maintain focus and discipline, they are confronted with the mayhem of congested roads and erratic driving practices. This not only adds unnecessary stress but also poses genuine safety concerns. It’s time for India to prioritize the welfare of its athletes. This means investing in infrastructure that meets international standards, ensuring athletes have access to nutritious meals and hygienic facilities, and implementing measures to streamline traffic and enhance safety.
Beyond the tangible improvements, there must be a shift in mindset. Athletes are not just representatives of their respective sports, they are ambassadors of the nation. It’s incumbent upon us to treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve – not just when they bring home medals, but every step of their journey. Dejana Radanovic’s criticism should serve as a cry for change. If an International athlete can face issues, our athletes could be in a bad place. We need to start at home and then eventually this may transcend Internationally as well.
It’s indeed the need of the hour for India to step up and demonstrate its support in the right manner towards our sporting champions. Anything less would be a disservice to them and to the nation they represent.
